Military lauds 'heroism' in St. Joseph, Mich., soldier's death

ST. JOSEPH -- At 10:30 Monday morning, students at St. Joseph High School observed a moment of silence. The hushed mood was in respect for a 2003 graduate who recently became a military hero, one of the latest casualties of the Afghanistan war. Army Sgt. Daniel Frazier died valiantly Thursday while trying to intercept a bomb-carrying vehicle, military officials said Monday, confirming information relayed to family members over the weekend. Frazier, 25, of St. Joseph, was killed, as was Staff Sgt. John Cleaver, 36, of Marysville, Wash., when a bomb detonated in a vehicle outside the gate of their forward-operating base near the village of Shajoy in Afghanistan's Zabul Province. Reports indicated the vehicle exploded outside the gate of the base, and Frazier and Cleaver died when they intercepted the vehicle. “Obviously, he was trying to protect the base. I think you can say heroism was involved,'' said Master Sgt. Gary L. Qualls Jr. in the public affairs office of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. Frazier and Cleaver were performing force protection duties when they were killed, Qualls said, reading from an incident report. Frazier was on his second tour of duty. His father, David Frazier, told WSBT-TV over the weekend that he was informed by a lieutenant colonel when the family flew to the Dover Air Force Base in Delaware for a repatriation ceremony that his son's actions had saved the lives of as many as 40 others. According to a report in the Fayetteville Observer in Fayetteville, N.C., Frazier joined the Army in 2006 as a motor transport operator. He arrived at Fort Bragg in September of that year and deployed with the 82nd Airborne Division from January 2007 to April 2008. The article identified both Cleaver and Frazier as Fort Bragg paratroopers and members of Company E, 1st Battalion, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division. In the Observer report, Capt. Burton Furlow, the commander of Company E, spoke of both Cleaver and Frazier in glowing terms. “Sgt. Frazier always started and finished his days the same way, with a smile on his face,'' he said. “He earned the respect of subordinates, peers and superiors alike. He is truly one of our American heroes and will be missed very dearly.'' Those sentiments were echoed by teachers and the principal at St. Joseph High School who knew Frazier seven years ago. “Dan came to class every day with a smile on his face,” said Jim Berry, Frazier's drafting teacher for two years. Berry said that even if Frazier knew the answer, he always asked, “Mr. Berry, what are we going to do today?” Berry said he is in shock over the news that Frazier was killed. “I can't thank him enough for his service to our country,” Berry said, adding that Frazier was a joy to be around. Principal Jeffrey Runser said Frazier was a quiet, well-mannered student. “It's always difficult when it hits close to home. It makes you stop and think,” he said. Frazier is survived by his mother, Roxana; his father, David; and his wife, Brittany. The Brown Funeral Home in Niles is in charge of funeral arrangements. David Frazier lives in St. Joseph and is a former resident of Niles. Staff writer Lou Mumford: lmumford@sbtinfo.com (269) 687-3551